Mum’s the word: Rishi Sunak’s women problem

Just how did Rishi Sunak think it would play when he thanked ‘mums everywhere’ for ‘juggling childcare and work’ in the Commons on Tuesday? Grateful thanks? A few more #dishyrishi plaudits and calls for him to be the next PM? 

The Chancellor’s vote of thanks for the nation’s mothers in response to a question about female entrepeneurs who have children has earned him a pummelling on Twitter as social media exploded with visceral rage — from the fathers he neglected to mention as well as women. Hitherto the subject of ‘AIBU [Am I Being Unreasonable] to find Rishi Sunak attractive’- type posts on Mumsnet, he is now – rightly or wrongly – embroiled in a sexism row. 

The backlash probably came as a shock to a Chancellor who has spent the last year making people-pleasing policy announcements usually involving large sums of tax payers’ cash. He’s used to being seen as something of a Covid hero.